Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Az. a chev. betw. three eagles' heads erased or”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Aubrey family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Az. a chev. betw. three eagles' heads erased or”
The Aubrey arms were recorded in Glamorgan, c. 1647.
Glamorgan was the richest part of Wales, with good coastal farmland and Norman castles along it. The families who held those castles kept their land for centuries, and long holding brought recorded arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
The family name Aubrey has deep roots in the landscape of South Wales, particularly within the historic county of Glamorgan. While the name itself is of Norman origin, it became firmly established in the Welsh countryside through centuries of land ownership and local governance. By the mid-seventeenth century, the Aubrey family was well-integrated into the social fabric of the region, as evidenced by their documented presence in Glamorgan in 1647. During this era, families like the Aubreys often served as local magistrates or landowners who helped shape the development of rural Welsh communities. Their history reflects a broader pattern of Norman settlers who moved into Wales and eventually adopted the customs and administrative roles of their new home. This transition helped the family maintain a lasting influence in the area for generations.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Az. a chev. betw. three falcons' heads erased or”
The Aubrey arms were recorded in Hereford, c. 1620.
Herefordshire lay on the Welsh border, where land was held in return for military service. Families there were expected to arm and to fight, and a fighting household needed a shield it could be known by.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
The surname Aubrey originates from the ancient Germanic name Alberic, which combines the words for elf and ruler. Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the name became popular among the ruling class in England, eventually evolving into a hereditary surname. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Herefordshire. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Aubrey family were settled in this region, where they became integrated into the local landed gentry and participated in the administrative life of the county. Over time, the family name became deeply rooted in the social fabric of the Welsh borderlands, reflecting the broader movement of Norman-descended families into western England during the medieval and early modern periods.
A Germanic name composed of elements meaning elf and ruler.

